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#111
09-14-2009, 02:24 PM
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She was there too, and we were in a couple of the same classes... She finished right behind us in each class we entered together... ie: we won, she finished second. That show was what convinced her to do something about those heavy shoes... she couldn't believe we were outgaiting her traditionally shod horse until the judge agreed!  The Palomino in the pic finished his time with me, proved what he needed to prove as far as his gaits, trailworthiness and ability to do obstacles, and was sold for the big bucks (by trail horse standards) to a stable in New York... not for showing, but for a wealthy lady who wanted perfection in her trail horse.  Sorry about the gushing, but quite frankly, this Palomino Gem was nothing short of a joy to ride, and go tBETTER with every single ride... his true potential is still unknown. He remains my own personal all-time "Dream Horse"...  (probably why I'm so defensive of him, just as everyone else is defensive towards their own... except he's not mine and never was.)
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Performance Trail Horses http://www.performancetrailhorses.com  Boarding & Training Gaited Trail Horses 
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#112
09-14-2009, 09:00 PM
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I used to have a tw mare, I've probably mentioned it a million times, and hired an upper level dressage trainer to come and work with us. It always bugged her that people in the tw/gaited world used the word "dressage" in a cavalier manner as they really weren't doing true dressage.
So, when people asked my why I had a dressage trainer for my gaited horse I'd say "we are training her using the standard conventional dressage methods" to condition for balance, fluidity and grace. Not to compete in a real dressage test. Personally, I think that the old ways of training tw, hence the "performance" trainers or big lick were what most trainers were used to. They were the one's at shows. The other folks used their horses for trail and just enjoyed them, used them for whatever job needed to be done and just didn't ask them to be exceptional at anything else other than what they were bred for. Now, with the onset of organizations like FOSH what do you call the training? The gaited world is just "in the hall way" so to speak, as in "when one door closes another opens". They are finding their way, just like when true dressage came to the United States. It's still very much evolving and it's pretty cool to see it unfold. At least the public is made more aware and don't think it's awesome to see these tortured big lick horses. I think it would be fantastic to see the two worlds work together. Even though my mare didn't work out, gosh, could she gait. We did a lot of lateral work, canter, long and low, etc. She started out sort of narrow and ended up one mass of muscle. She did canter, though it was a bit of a challenge. It took a lot of work for her to have complete self carriage on a circle, but, she did it. All of the, for lack of better words, dressage type training seemed to have tightened her gait. If my husband rode her on a looser rein than I did, she'd travel a bit differently than when I rode her. I asked for collection and she was more short strided, rounded, soft and powered off the hind end. I guess I'd call it a rack. She used herself in the correct fashion. It was great. So, if I ever had another gaited horse I would apply the dressage principals, but for now, don't have any other words to describe it. Let's see what the future brings and enjoy that the "old ways" are on their way out the door, it'll take time, but it'll come around. That, ultimately, is the goal.
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"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."~Mark Twain"
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#113
09-14-2009, 10:01 PM
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 But you do get attached to them. And it's such a feeling to see them go on to be happy, fun horses for their owners. Whether they show or not.
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